According to data just released in July, 2009, obesity climbed to new highs in 23 states, with Mississippi remaining the fattest state for the 5^th year in a row. Nearly 1/3 of its residents are obese. Three other states topped 30%, and even Colorado, with the lowest rate, has nearly 1 in 5 residents who are obese. No states showed a drop even though US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has said that it aims to reduce obesity rates to 15 percent in every state before 2010. It just isn’t happening regardless of what the government is doing to reverse the trends.

It appears diet is the biggest factor in what is becoming America’s #1 health concern. Americans spend about $95 billion a year in expenses directly related to obesity like diabetes, certain types of cancer and heart problems. According to a new study presented at the European Congress on Obesity in May, 2009, increased calories remain the major factor in weight gain over the last 30 years worldwide, but especially in America, where “super size me” seems to be the norm.

Americans on a budget are turning to foods that are calorie dense because they’re typically more filling and less expensive than fresh, more nutritious choices. Inexpensive fast food meals tempt people on the go to eat out instead or preparing healthier meals from scratch. However, you can eat even fast food without consuming huge amounts of calories. Click here for a list of fast food meals that weigh in at less than 500 calories.

Study results showed children are just as active as they were in the 70s but energy intake has risen daily by about 350 calories. Adult activity has increased beyond what was normal in the 70s, but caloric intake has increased, as well, by 500 calories a day. Eliminate those extra calories and weight will return to the averages of the 70s. In fact, if you slash 500 calories a day from your diet, you can lose as much as 1 pound a week.

There are some easy ways to slash 500 calories a day through a combination of exercise and diet. In the long run, you’ll save money and expand your wallet while shrinking your waistline.

If you’d like to blast off some of that tummy fat while losing weight here are some great foods that are incredibly affordable.

1. Blueberries: Eating blueberries may decrease abdominal fat according to recent research. Studies suggests that eating blueberries may benefit the heart due to its ability to decrease belly fat, lower triglycerides and cholesterol levels, and reduce blood sugar levels.  These health benefits are attributed to the high levels of phytochemicals, naturally occurring antioxidants called anthocyanins present in darkly pigmented fruits and vegetables. In studies, the results were even better when the diet was low in fat. So hit that farmer’s market, or a u-pick if blueberries are grown locally, and pick up some of these delicious berries to add to cereal, smoothies, or mixed with other berries for a colorful compote. Summer is the perfect season to add blueberries to your daily eating plan,
2. Black beans: Legumes in general are great sources of protein, fiber, and antioxidants, while being low fat. and extremely healthy. They are also rated low on the glycemic index. The fiber in a can of black beans is 25 grams, more than half of what is recommended daily. So put them on your salad, use them as a side, or make them a main ingredient in a vegetarian entre, but find a way to incorporate them daily into your meal plan. I recommend eating a can a day and at under $2.00 a can, that’s a bargain food.
3. Eggs for breakfast: Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. A recent study published last year in the International Journal of Obesity showed that compared to a bagel meal of equal calories, those who ate 2 eggs for breakfast lost 65% more weight, had 61% greater reduction in BMI, and had a higher level of energy. Your body needs protein after fasting through the night. Eggs cost an average of $1.93 per dozen (or $0.16 per egg), making them one of the best bargains among high-quality protein foods. I recommend range free and organic, which may put the cost up a bit, but is well worth it.
4. Apples: Enjoying a fiber-packed apple 30 minutes or so before a meal will reduce your appetite and nourish you with antioxidants, Vitamin C, and pectins, a type of soluble fiber that draws cholesterol out of the blood and binds to carbohydrates to help maintain healthy blood sugar levels. Apples are low in calories, high in fiber, low in sodium and a perfect addition to your weight loss program. Tip: Be sure to wash your apples thoroughly as the wax used to coat supermarket apples seals in the pesticides on the apple skin. When in season, I recommend buying from local orchards.
5. Green tea: It’s not exactly a food, but adding 4-5 cups of green tea to your daily routine will help enhance your metabolism and burn extra calories…about 80 a day according to researchers . Some of the fat burning benefit of green tea comes from the caffeine that naturally occurs, but thermogenesis in green tea mostly occurs from epigallocatechin gallate or EGCG, a potent antioxidant that has other health benefits, as well. Themogenesis, in simple terms, is the heat generated when the body burns fat for energy. It was found that the combination of caffeine and EGCG together worked synergistically to produce better results than either did alone.

Of course, you’re going to get the best benefits in losing body fat, especially the visceral fat around the belly, if you combine healthy eating with effective daily activity, and lifestyle choices that reduce stress, and promote mental well-being. But making a few wise changes by adding these 5 foods to your diet could put you on the path to losing your abdominal fat.

I received the machine 2 weeks ago and was excited to put it together immediately and do a workout. Fortunately, there is a DVD that accompanies the machine that shows some different ways to optimize your workout and use more muscle groups. I recommend a fitness coach or trainer, or in this case, coaching through dvd, to anyone starting a fitness program to minimize injury and get the best results.

To start, I used the lowest incline and completed just 10 reps of each sequence for a total workout of about 4 minutes. Outside of a little soreness in the inner thigh, I didn’t feel much the next day, so added 5 more reps and then 5 more the next day. I’ve been doing those 20 reps through each exercise sequence since and my workout is about 8-10 minutes. After 8 days of using the Ab Circle Pro™ I’m definitely feeling muscle soreness. I took my weight and measurements, so will share after 2 weeks any results I’m getting.

I like the Ab Circle Pro™ for the following benefits:

• Lightweight, compact machine that is easy to set up and store (would easily slip under the bed or against a closet wall)
• Can be used at any fitness level
• Works multiple muscle groups, including biceps, triceps, pectorals, lats, a variety of abdominal muscles, the butt, hips, and inner and outer thighs. Because you rest on your knees during the workout, the lower parts of the leg are not as affected.
• Provides a low impact aerobic benefit, which I assume increases as the incline increases.
• Workout time is short, intense and great for those who are time challenged.
• At less than $200 is an affordable alternative to a gym or more complex machine
• It’s fun. I found myself wanting to get on it rather than fighting the exercise.
• You can do it in the privacy of your own home on your own schedule.

I’m looking forward to seeing some inches come off the waistline, hips, and thighs and would recommend this as an option for those who want a quick targeted workout that focuses on abdominal fat. If you’re looking for some ways to get a weight loss and/or fitness program started, I’m available for a consult. Simply fill out the form or set up an appointment online and let’s get started.

Meanwhile stay tuned as I keep you updated on my personal 90 day Chick Challenge progress. By combining smart, healthy eating with the weight loss patch and daily activity, I’m maximizing my results even with my physical limitations.

I’m going to be posting some reviews of popular diet programs that, over the years, have proven to work effectively, but here are a few tips that will help you make some sensible choices for a lean and healthy lifestyle.

1. Eat with Purpose. You’ve probably heard the saying “Eat to live, don’t live to eat”. Take that another step further and eat based on what you are actively doing. A person who is in training will eat differently than a person who is sedentary. If you’re working out with weights, trying to lose weight, maintaining weight, or gaining fitness, you’re nutrition needs will change accordingly. You may even have differing nutrition requirements from day to day or in seasons of your life.
2. Eat Foods in Their Natural State. Whole, unprocessed food, with no additives and preservatives is the smart way to eat. Find local, “in season” produce when you can to avoid the sprays, chemicals and green picking that makes food devoid of nutritional benefits. Besides being healthier, it’s a great way to go green and support your local farmers. Shop the outer limits of the store and learn to read labels. If you do eat processed, look for foods that have higher levels of fiber and whole grains and avoid things that end in “ose”, which is a sign of added sugar, and transfats.
3. Eat Less More Often. Studies are showing it’s beneficial to eat 5-6 small balanced meals or snacks daily instead of large meals 2-3 times a day. Smaller servings keep your blood sugar more stable, provide a steady source of fuel for the body and regulate the metabolism. Just make sure you aren’t snacking on junk food that is high in fats, sugar, and calories.
4. Avoid the Following:

• high fructose corn syrup
• soda
• excessive alcohol
• transfats
• artificial sweeteners.

5.   Stay the Course. Probably the #1 reason most dieters fail is they quit before they get the results they desire. If something isn’t working for you, try something else. Every body is different in its nutritional needs and response to dieting.  If you reach a plateau, change it up or step it up. Get a buddy that will hold you accountable or maybe even partner with you to lose weight. Create a strong why from the start for losing weight, and journal your progress so you don’t get discouraged and can assess what’s really working for you.

Remember, fat loss takes effort and time. Educate yourself on  eating healthy. Be willing to try new and different things using the 5 simple tips above to see what works best for your body type and lifestyle. That way you can replace the confusion with confidence that you’ll reach your goal.

It’s probably been a part of your diet all your life. It’s found in everyday foods like potatoes, grains, and legumes, but recent studies show an increase in resistance when these foods are eaten cooled.

How does it work? Well, to start these foods bypass the stomach and resist digestion in the small intestine, thereby helping to prevent the uptake of starch into the bloodstream. The claim is that it does wonders to control blood sugar levels, which in turn, helps to prevent the storage of fat into cells. However, in many of the foods only about 5% of the starch is resistant, so you have to be careful about this claim.

These foods also contain high levels of fiber that fill you up and reduce the appetite. In fact, animal studies have shown that resistant starches actually trigger a hormone response to shut off hunger. It appears that you don’t get those benefits from eating other sources of fiber.

Last, but certainly not least, the claim is that resistant starches have been shown to up the body’s ability to burn calories. Because these starches don’t digest completely in the small intestine, they end up fermenting in the large intestine, which releases fatty acids that prevent the body from burning carbohydrates for fuel. Without carbohydrates for fuel, the liver begins burning both stored fat and recently consumed fat for energy.

Since not all the starch in these foods is resistant, what about the potential 95% of starch that isn’t? Well, now is the time to issue a bit of a warning. We can’t always believe everything researchers claim. Research can be skewed, based on the funding and agenda of those doing the research. Always do your own due diligence in determining the course you will take to lose weight. The one thing proven to work for the long term is a healthy balance of lean protein, low glycemic carbohydrates, and healthy fats, mixed with controlled eating and consistent exercise.

Some of the foods researched, like potatoes and white rice, have been avoided by those desiring to lose weight because they tend to raise blood sugar when eaten cooked. The research on glycemic indexing and glyemic loading has been in place for years and appears to be sound. Rather than look at these foods as the basis for adding more carbohydrates to your diet, you might want to look at what percentage of the resistant starches each recommended food has, and make your food choices based on those that will resist the most and benefit you in other ways, as well.

Before you jump up and bake a potato, let me suggest to you some of the best ways to add resistant starch to your daily diet.

• First, eating it cooled is important. It is the cooled starches that have been shown to be most resistant.
• It’s always important to maintain the proper balance of lean protein, carbohydrates, and healthy fat each time you eat. Simply replacing some of the other starches with resistant starches may be okay, but adding them to what you already eat does nothing more than raise your caloric intake and probably your glucose levels, too, which I guarantee will cause weight gain, not weight loss.
• Of all the resistant starches recommend by researchers, legumes have the most resistant starches that actually reach the colon. Legumes are also among the highest in fiber and contain a high level of protein, making them a great source of all three nutrients. Make beans, lentils and peas part of your balanced diet for weight loss.
• If you’re going to bake, do it with a resistant starch powder made from corn called Hi-maize. It can replace ¼ of the traditional flour you would use in a recipe. You might want to look for products that have been fortified with Hi-maize, as well. Not only will you be getting higher levels of resistant starches, and more fiber in your diet, Hi-maize has less calories, too.

In the quest to determine causes and find solutions to obesity, researchers will come up with many theories and studies that will certainly create more confusion about what to eat and not to eat. You will always find conflicting views on just about everything, including resistant starch.

Dieters, in their desperation to get results, will follow just about anything that comes along with the hopes that it will work. Be smart, create a realistic plan that is balanced and can be adhered to over time, and stick to what you know works for you. That may require mixing things up a bit, trying new things, and testing your results.

Remember, the proven way to getting and staying lean and fabulous for life is to eat the right kind of foods in the proper amounts and increase your amount and variety of activity. There is a lot that can be added to that, but it’s a great place to start!

You’ve probably heard of the BMI, body mass index, that measures how much body fat versus lean muscle and bone density your body is made up of. It’s called body composition and it’s vital to weight and fat loss success. It also determines the amount of calories we need in a given day since muscle burns more calories and raises metabolism.

There are several ways to measure your body composition, but among the best is a bio-electrical impedance body fat scale. If you’re on a budget many of the current scales have a Bioelectric Impedance Analyzer, two built-in footpad electrodes on the base of the scale that the person stands on. Just as a note: Be sure you’re hydrated when using the scale as dehydration will show up as more fat, and don’t use if you have a Pacemaker.

When starting on a weight/fat loss and fitness plan it is important to figure out what your body composition is so you can set realistic goals. The suggested healthy, body fat percentage for men and women vary so take note:

For Women:

Ages 18 to 39 21% to 33%

Ages 40 to 59 23% to 34%

Ages 60 to 99 24% to 36%

For Men:

Ages 18 to 39 8% to 20%

Ages 40 to 59 11% to 22%

Ages 60 to 99 13% to 25%

I also recommend taking body measurements top to bottom, so you can track fat and inches lost versus weight loss. Try to step on the scale monthly instead of weekly or daily. Since lean muscle is denser and weighs more than fat, the scale will not be an accurate measurement of success.

To increase both your lean muscle and bone density add fitness to your plan. Weight bearing exercises, like resistance training, consistent walking, weights, and cross training will get you to your goals faster and smarter. You’ll be stronger, leaner, more toned, and healthier if body composition is your focus rather than losing weight. So, eat to flush fat and save your muscles from the menu!

I agreed to go support her in her new endeavor and found myself on the floor learning new steps my very first night. I’ve been back four times since. In fact, I spent an hour one of the nights learning a completely new dance and found that it was very much like an hour of aerobic exercise…but way more fun! And the dance floor was packed!

So, I did a little mingling and socializing and found several of the gals were losing a significant amount of weight line dancing. One lost over 75 pounds shakin’that booty and kickin’ those legs. She’s having fun, it’s her social time, and she’s confident she’ll dance away the other 75 pounds she desires to lose, as well.

It’s an ideal place for boomers to be active while having fun. There were people there from 21 to their 80’s. And line dancing allows both couples and singles to enjoy themselves, since a partner isn’t required. Even during couples dancing, singles were line dancing, too. The men and women were enjoying themselves, staying active, and it didn’t feel like they were there for a “catch”. I found it to be a comfortable and relaxed environment.

Now, I do have to warn you that if you drink beer or alcohol while dancing the night away, the chances of losing weight go down, so commit to staying on the dance floor as much as possible and rehydrate with water instead.

If exercising has become boring, you struggle with discipline, or are simply looking for some new ways to add activity to your lifestyle, why not try line dancing? Just get a few friends to join you and go have fun while burning those calories. Believe me, it doesn’t feel like exercise at all! And the country music…well it’s growing on me.